IRGC calls for adopting the Bill C-533 – second parliamentary reading
Institute for the Research of Genocide Canada
Published: September 8, 2011
ACTION ALERT: IRGC calls for the campaign for adopting the Bill C-533 – second parliamentary reading - in the Canadian Parliament, an Act respecting the Srebrenica Genocide and the Srebrenica Remembrance Day in Canada
Canada to become the first nation to legally recognize the Bosnian Genocide at Srebrenica by the law, not only by the resolution – motion
Background
CANADIAN PARLIAMENT UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTS THE SREBRENICA GENOCIDE RESOLUTION {M – 416}
On October 19, 2010. the Motion { M – 416} to establish a Srebrenica Remembrance Day in Canada and to recognize the Srebrenica Genocide was passed in the House of Commons by unanimous consent.
The motion that passed in the House of Commons
“That, in the opinion of the House, the day of July 11 should be recognised as Srebrenica Remembrance Day in memorial of the Srebrenica Massacre of July 1995, in which more than 7,000 Bosniak men and boys were executed, declared an act of genocide by the international Criminal tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and the International Court of justice, and 25,000 others were forcibly removed from their homes by Bosnian Serb forces.”
Difference between Motion and Bill in the Canadian Parliament
A motion is a proposal moved by a Member for the House to do something, to order something to be done or to express an opinion with regard to some matter. A motion might be passed in the House of Commons but that doesn`t always mean any type of action has to follow. A bill is stronger. It is a proposed law submitted to Parliament for consideration and approval. It may originate either with the government, with a private Member, or from a committee, and may relate either to public or private interests.
The Institute for Research of Genocide Canada {IRGC}, the Congress of North American Bosniaks, Canadian Branch {CNABC} the Canadian Bosniak community and many supporters launched the campaign for adopting the Bill C-533 in the Canadian Parliament, An Act respecting the Srebrenica Genocide and the Srebrenica Remembrance Day in Canada
INTRODUCING THE BILL C – 522 IN THE CANADIAN PARLIAMENT - AN ANCT RESPECTING SREBRENICA GENOCIDE AND SREBRENICA REMEBRANCE DAY IN CANADA
Honourable Rob Oliphant, Member of the Canadian Parliament and Member of the Liberal Party of Canada on June 10th introduced Bill C – 533, an Act respecting a Srebrenica Remembrance Day, seconding by Hon the hon. Libby Davies, member For Vancouver East
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased this morning to introduce a bill that seeks to establish a national Srebrenica remembrance day to be held every July 11. I thank my colleague the hon. Libby Davies, member For Vancouver East for seconding the bill.
HOUSE OF COMMONS OF CANADIAN PARLIAMENT
The 3rd Session, 40th Parliament, 59 Elizabeth II, 2010, House of Commons
Bill C-533
An Act respecting a Srebrenica Remembrance Day and Srebrenica Genocide
Whereas the Srebrenica Massacre, also known as the Srebrenica Genocide, was the killing in July of 1995 of an estimated 8,000 Bosniak men and boys in the region of Srebrenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina by Bosnian Serb forces;
Whereas the Srebrenica Massacre is the largest mass murder in Europe since World War II and the largest massacre carried out by Serb forces during the Bosnian war;
Whereas the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, located in The Hague, unanimously decided in the case of Prosecutor v. Krstić that the Srebrenica Massacre was genocide;
Whereas the International Court of Justice ruled in February of 2007 that the Srebrenica Massacre was genocide with the specific intent to destroy Bosnian Muslims who were living in the area;
Whereas resolutions condemning the Srebrenica Massacre were adopted by the European Parliament on January 15, 2009, and by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in 2005;
Whereas on March 31, 2010, the Government of Serbia, led by President BorisTadic, issued a full state apology for the Srebrenica Massacre, providing tacit recognition of the genocidal nature of the crime and endorsing the February 2007 ruling of the International Court of Justice;
And whereas the list of people missing or killed in Srebrenica, as compiled by the Federal Commission of Missing Persons of the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, includes 8,373 names to date;
Now, therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:
SHORT TITLE
1. This Act may be cited as the Srebrenica Remembrance Day Act.
SREBRENICA REMEMBRANCE DAY
2.Throughout Canada, in each and every year, the eleventh day of July shall be known as “Srebrenica Remembrance Day”.
3.For greater certainty, Srebrenica Remembrance Day is not a legal holiday or a nonjuridical day.
Mr. Robert Oliphant’s comments in the House of Commons:
Moved for leave to introduce Bill C-533, An Act respecting a Srebrenica Remembrance Day.
He said: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased this morning to introduce a bill that seeks to establish a national Srebrenica remembrance day to be held every July 11. I thank my colleague the hon. member for Vancouver East for seconding the bill.
In July 1995, an estimated 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were massacred in the Srebrenica region of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a UN declared safe area by Bosnian Serb forces. This was the largest mass murder in Europe since World War II.
Both the appeals chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the International Court of Justice ruled that the Srebrenica massacre was genocide.
In addition, resolutions condemning the massacre have been passed by the European Parliament and the American House of Representatives and Senate.
This past March, the president of Serbia issued a full state apology and endorsed the ruling of the International Court of Justice.
Recognizing the devastating effects of the July 1995 Srebrenica genocide, this bill would provide the opportunity for all Canadians to stand with those in the Bosnian Canadian community to share in their pain and honour the memory of those men and boys massacred.
As we approach the 15th anniversary of this massacre, I hope this bill will serve as a step in the right direction which will ultimately provide some semblance of comfort to the survivors of this genocide and to the Bosnian community here in Canada.
May the memory of those lost never be forgotten?
